Adjustable supporting means for display containers



1,616,980v Feb 8 19.27 vA..MaccouzALI. 7

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR DISPLAY CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 27, 1926 dugg.

Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

v U ,ITE sr ALEXANDER MAeDoUGALL, or" BAKER. oEEefoN.

Application filed February 27, 1926. Serial No. 91,176.

The present invention relates to a' devicey for raising articles iii a display container as siich'articles are sold and removed from tliecontaiiier in order that the articles remaining 4may, present a better appearance than if left at the lower portion of the container. For example, when cigars aresold from the ordinary display cigar box, after oiie or more layers of the cigars have been 1o sold, theA remaining cigarsv are notas attractive to the prospective purchaser and -very frequently a sale'is'accordingly lost or a new box of cigars must be opened. Similarly, with other veiidible articles, such i5 chewing gum, the packages remaining after a pait of the box has been lsold do not piesent as an attractive appearance as they should.

larly, but indiscriminately piled on one another. and as they are sold the articles remaining are not as tempting to the prospective purchaser.

The device constituting` an embodiment of this invention overcomes the difficulties as above set forth and also enables a saving in the number of cartons for larger or deeper cartons may be used since the articles may be raised to a position at or near the top of the container as may be desired. Other advantages of the construction provided will be apparent.l i

For. a complete understanding- .of the invention', reference is tobe had to the fol'- lowing description and the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a box of cigars having the device of the present invention positioned Vbelow the lowest layer of the cigars;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Y Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing .the articles raised;

flic saine difculty is experienced y with articles not disposed in layers, particu-H Fig. 6 is aV perspective view of the device v box or container, and while cigars are'illustrated, it will be understood that this box may contain any articles. Layers of cigars or. other articles areusiially packed in such a box k10,tli ese layersbeing designated by the numeral 11 on the drawing. It willbe understood, however, that the invention is likewise adapted for containers inwliich the articles are not disposed in layers. 65

VTitliin the boXlO and below lthe larticles therein, is positioiied'the adjustable bottom or follower 12, shown in perspective inverted position by Fig. 6. This follower device 12 has at the sides thereof a plurality of U- shaped members 13, 14 and lsupported in bearings 16 and 17. These bearings comprisea corrugatedportion 18, the U-shaped members 13, 14 and 15 being received between corriigations, and end extensions 19 which pass through the follower from the bottom side thereofto the top, as shown by Fig. 8, for securing the bearings in place. The follower 12 may ber made of any suitable material, such as wood or cardfboard or the like and may be comparatively thin so'as notv to increase the size of the container unnec? essai-ily. The bearing members 16 and 17 may be of any suitable material, preferably metal. The U-shaped members 13, 14 and S5 V15, are also preferablyV of metal. It will be understood that the supporting vU-shaped members are rather loosely disposed within the bearings 1G and 17 so that as thefollower is raised fromv the bottom of the coneo taiiier 10, the end portions of the members 13,14 and 15 tend to assume a vertical position. It will also be understood that the end portions 13a, 14a, and 15a of thesesupporting members 13, 14 and 15, respectively, a5 v are of 'graduated length so that as the follower 12 is raised, the end portions will successively function as supports for the follower. The ends of thesupporting members may be pointed as is obvious. Any suitable means such as ribbons 20 at the ends of the follower may be provided for raising the latter when desired.'

"In Fig. 7 there is illustrated a modification of thedevice. prises a. device most of the parts of which are substantially the same as that shown by Fig. 6, but in order to permit-of the application of the supporting members 13, 14 and 15 to a follower member 12 made of material 11o that may be considerably thinner tha-n the follower 12 in the device shown by Fig. 6,

This modiiication com- 105.V

der

bearing members 21 may be pirovided and it will be understood that there isV such a bearing 2l at each end of the follower l2.A Such bearings 2l comprise the longi-tiidi@ nally extending corrugatedportion 22 and the laterally extending securing portions 234 which pass through openings in the follower l2 and secure the bearing member 21 in a manner similar to, that illustrated by Fig. 8. lt Vwill beunderstood that these meinbers 2l are vcombined bearings and reinforcing members. f

The construction, operationl" and utility of the invention will be apparent from the foregoingv description. Figs. 2 to 5 illustrate the manner of operation or use. Fig, 2^, shows a new bei: ofl cigars, and' of course is illustrative of any other articles whether in layers or not, the follower l2bei'ng ineffective atthe bottoni of the container lO. Fig.V 3' shows the follower raised to lift the articles to or near the top of the container, the Vsupporting members la'being in` posi'- ti'on to support the folloiifer l2 in its raised position.- Fig. il' is similar to Fig,V 3 but shows the position of the follower i2 when ymore articles have been removed from the container although the remaining articles are thereby positioned atfor'neai the top andy present the appearance of being* in a newly opened box.` In this latter view, the supporting members lll*FL are in effective position to support the follower l2.y Fig. 5 shows the position of the partswhen the container is, perhaps, almost empty7 and yet the articles are ator near the top and' present the iii.vi"iiig.appearance that a newly fopeiiedfbofi presents. En this latter position, Vthe longer endg portions are etlective to support' the follower l2l as indicated at 1821 in this- View. l

ltvwill be understood' that the dev-vice' illustrated by Fig, 7 may be operated' in the saine way, as that shown by Fig. 6 and'l may assume the vpositions illustrated by Figs. 2te

lll'iilethe preferred embodiment of. the iiiif'entio-iihas been` described. and' shown by the drawing, it will be understood that certain i changesin. the construction and arrangement of parts may be made and will suggest themselves in View of this disclosure, but all suoli changes are to be considered as part of the 1 vuse of' the device embodying the present in-V veiition.

Having thus described the invent-ion,y what is claimed and2 desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United; States is:-

. l. ln combination with a container for' articles sold therefrom, a device for lifting such articles toward the top ofthe container, comprising a follower memberl positionedwithin Vthe container below the articles therein7 corrugated` bearing members secured"` to said follower at thel ends thereof, and a plu-- rality of graduated @shaped supporting members loosely mounted in said bearings-l liaving their intermediate portions extendv` ing across said follower whereby to reinforce it, "andv their free ends extending below said follower whereby to successively engage the bottom ofthe container as said followeris raised;

2; l-nV combination with a containerv for articles sold therefrom', a device for lifting such articles toward the top ofthe container, comprising a follower member positioned within said container below the articles therein, corrugated bearing mein-bers secured toA saidv follower at the ends thereof and' extending thereacross to reinforce the latter7 and' a plurality of graduated"A U:- shaped members having their"intermediate portions loosely'inoiinted in said corrugated bearing members and-their free ends eXteii'ding` below said follower whereby tov succes- Vsi'vely engage the bottom of the container as said follower is raised'.

En testimony whereof', I hereunto afHiX my signature.

ALEXANDER, Magno-nenni.. Y Y 

